Russel Fouts on wed 26 feb 97
Kurt,
As Ric suggests: >> Your area probably has some sort of "clay
slip" available....check with the local geologists...they know. <<
The Great Lakes area and the upper Mississppi where you live has
some wonderful slip clays ground up and deposited as the glaciers receded.
Check with geologists as he says, also check gravel pits (check the low
spots were water collects and has dried up, the clay will look like peeling
paint), check road cuts (harder to get too), go visit a clay pipe works
that has their own pit or preferably an abandoned one. I preferred the
gavel pits, cleaner and finer clay but in smaller quantities.
Crumble the clay up, dry it, roll it with a garden roller (or your car),
throw it in some water and let it slake for a while (all the sticks and
stuff will float to the top and can be skimmed), screen it to get the
larger chunks (usually stones) out. dewater it until it's the thickness you
want and start testing. If you're firing to stoneware temps you probably
won't have to add anything to it.
If you want to use it as a body, dewater it some more.
I did a lot of this when in college. All this fuss about Albany when
there's plenty of great stuff available for the picking.
Russel (your pictures will meet up with you at NCECA via Carla)
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* Russel Fouts, CI$: 100021,23,
Bruxelles, Belgium
Internet: 100021.23@CompuServe.Com
"It took more then one man to change my name to Shanghai Lil."
MD
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